Today is my big day! At 6:30 AM my plane will depart from Canton, and nine hours later I will be in an entirely different country full of unfamiliar faces, and new places. I will be leaving the comfort of my first language, the consolation of my mom, the luxury of a warm shower and any kind of cell phone reception, the pleasure of high speed internet, the security of my home, and, most of all, I am leaving over half of my wardrobe for my sisters to forage through for an entire month (a very dangerous act in the Sliman house hold)! I will be entering into a foreign country, and surrounded with diverse people, a new culture, and a completely different form of living. Though I realize I will probably feel uncomfortable in my new surroundings, I think what is most important is not how quickly I can regain comfort, but appreciating the journey I will experience as I adapt to the different surroundings. This is my time to temporarily depart from the conventional world which I have lived in my entire life, and experience something beyond anything I have ever known. Though I will forever be my parent’s baby, I am an independent nineteen year old now, who is fully capable of achieving anything I set my mind to. I am entirely confident that I can, and will, leave home and partake in this experience of a lifetime. I will miss you all very much, and I hope to keep you updated as much as I can, I will see you in four Sundays!
